


Starlight and Purple Roses

by IronStrange_Tales (RavenCall70)



Series: Seasons and Sidebars of IronStrange [2]
Category: Doctor Strange (2016), Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Boys In Love, Civil War Team Iron Man, Cloak of Levitation (Marvel), Firsts, Fluff and Angst, Fluff and Humor, Gift Giving, Kissing, Love Confessions, M/M, Post-Endgame, Pre-Slash, Valentine's Day
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-16
Updated: 2019-02-16
Packaged: 2019-10-29 10:59:17
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,170
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17806748
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RavenCall70/pseuds/IronStrange_Tales
Summary: Stephen has always been terrible at forgetting calendar holidays. But this time, finding himself alone again on Valentine's Day is especially difficult.~~~~"I didn't order anything." Stephen grumbled, eyeing the package at the man's side."Not my department sir." He said, taking the device back and heading back down the steps. "Have a good day."~~~~💘💖💝





	Starlight and Purple Roses

Stephen was moping. He was trying very hard to ignore the fact that he was moping, but he'd been in the same state for the past four days and there really was no other way of describing it.   
  
Busy as he always was, he had no concept of time. Considering he guarded the Time Stone, it came as a cosmic joke that he of all people could lose track of a calendar. But he'd always been like that, even before the accident. He'd depended on nurses and administrators to tell him his schedule. As sought after as his services were, he was too important to the hospital to be expected to keep track of anything more than his next big surgery or the next speaking engagement or medical conference. Which meant he knew where'd he'd be on Friday, but miss the fact that it was also Easter weekend.   
  
Which brought him to why he was moping. He'd been out shopping for the Sanctum, something he rarely did since Wong usually took care of the day to day. But Wong was busy in Kamar-taj and would be gone for the rest of the week and Stephen was out of tea and bread, which meant he had nothing for his breakfast the next day.   
  
So he'd left the Sanctum and gone shopping. Lost in thought, he hadn't immediately noticed the change in the vendor stalls he passed on his way to the store. Standing in line at the till, the red and pink he'd been noticing in the periphery of his vision suddenly became all he could see. Giant pink balloons in the shape of hearts, purple teddy bears, red candy hearts, chocolates of every variety... It took him a moment to put two and two together as he paid for his purchases, but by the time he left the store, a cold dead weight had taken up residence in his gut.   
  
His mood darkened further on the walk back to the Sanctum. His lip curling in resentment and irritation at the brightly coloured roses a vendor was selling. Chocolate rose bouquets, pink, purple and red teddy bears, rainbow unicorns, giant balloons with declarations like I Heart You and You're Mine and Kiss Me emblazoned in gold, glitter and gaudy romantic hues. It was enough to make him sneer and walk faster, feeling as though everyone could see how sad a figure he presented. A middle aged man, alone and pathetic as he rushed past, ignoring the calls for getting some flowers for his sweetheart.   
  
He hadn't left the Sanctum after that.  Immersing himself in his work and studies, pretending he wasn't acutely aware of how alone he was and how pathetic he was being, letting something like a stupid holiday get to him.    
  
Four days later he was sitting in the Sanctum kitchen, glaring into his cooling cup of tea. It wasn't as though this was his first Valentine's Day spent alone. Hell, it wasn't even his second. It had been years since he'd been with someone during this particular holiday, and it hadn't even been memorable when he had.   
  
The truth was, he had never experienced a true romantic Valentine's Day. He knew that was more than half his own fault since he had never given anyone the impression he would welcome such behavior in others, never mind crave it. As unhealthy as it was, he had chosen to view romance as a weakness and those who participated in such things as foolish.   
  
He was in the middle of clearing away his lunch dishes, he'd lost track of time (again), and it was actually closer to dinnertime, but Wong wasn't here to scold him so it didn't matter, when a knock sounded at the door to the Sanctum.  From the kitchen corner, the Cloak flew to his shoulders before he took a single step into the hall. He wasn't expecting anyone and visitors were so uncommon, his first thought was that whoever was here had the wrong address.   
  
He cast a spell from his side of the door to make sure whatever waited for him on the other side wasn't a threat. When it came back clean, he opend the door to see a courier standing on the step with a portable signage device in his hand a large package beside him on the step.   
  
The young man arched a brow at his odd appearance but made no comment. "Doctor Stephen Strange?"   
  
"Yes, that's me. What can I do for you?"   
  
"Package delivery. Sign here please." He said, shoving the device into Stephen's hand before he could protest.   
  
"I didn't order anything." Stephen grumbled, eyeing the package at the man's side.   
  
"Not my department sir." He said, taking the device back and heading back down the steps. "Have a good day."   
  
Stephen scowled at the four foot by three foot package with irritation. He waited a moment for the courier to drive off, ensuring the street was clear before levitating the thing through the door and into the Sanctum.    
  
Using his magic, he ripped the brown shipping paper off to reveal gift wrap emblazoned with red and pink hearts and purple ribbons. His confusion and discomfort shot through the roof when he saw it, baffled by the implication and completely at a loss as to who had sent him such and thing or why.   
  
Clearly it was a gift for Valentine's Day, but for the life of him he couldn't imagine who could possibly have sent it. Cursing his confusion, he tore the paper off and broke open the box until it was flattened around the object inside.   
  
Looking at it, he couldn't decide if he should be insulted or pleased since it was certainly nothing he could have expected to find inside. A giant, stuffed white unicorn with a golden horn and a rainbow tail and mane stood looking at him with black glass eyes, a curious smile stitched on its face, tempting him with cuteness.    
  
It had to be a mistake, he decided as he moved closer to it, looking for clues. There was a card around the things neck, a bright red envelope with his name written in gold. He snapped it open, curiosity winning out and frowned at the words inside.   
  
_ "Better than a pink teddy bear. Am I right?" _

 

Was all it said, making him frown harder. It wasn't signed and there was no other clue to indicate who had sent it. He regarded the thing with a mix of wonder and irritation. It had to be a joke right? He thought as another knock broke the silence. Casting the stuffed monstrosity a withering look, he went to the door again.   
  
Another courier stood there, though this time the package was smaller. The same ritual of signing and protesting and five minutes later he was removing the packaging to reveal a basket. Inside was a selection of exotic herbal teas, a fancy glass tea infuser, a box of chocolates and a matching tea cup set for two.   
  
Inside was another card, decorated the same with only his name on the outside and the message inside was as equally frustrating in it's vagueness as the first one had been.   
  
_ "Would you like an adventure now, or shall we have our tea first?" ~ Peter Pan _   
  
Dammit, Stephen swore. The quote gave him no clue to who was behind the deliveries. He refused to call them gifts, it had to be part of some trick or game someone was playing with him. Had to be, because he couldn't think of anyone who would be trying to impress him. No one looked at him like that anymore, with his shaking, scarred hands, his cold indifference in mixed company and the invisible sign he projected to everyone around him that said  _ 'keep away' _ .   
  
Minutes ticked by while he stood there, his gaze going from the basket he held and back to the unicorn. When he realized he was waiting for the doorbell to ring again he made a disgusted sound and headed to the kitchen. Since he hadn't anything pressing to do for the rest of the day, he opened the basket and selected a tea he'd never heard of, something spicy that claimed to be a blend of native herbs from India with a Thai flair.   
  
An hour later he was sipping the tea he'd made and obsessing about the identity of the sender. It wasn't possible for the deliveries to be intentional. Outside the order and Kamar-Taj, he could count on one hand the number of people who knew him. Of those, the only one who he wouldn't mind receiving gifts from was Tony Stark. But that possibility was even more outlandish than the idea any of this was intentional.   
  
The man couldn't possibly be behind the odd deliveries. As far as he knew, Stark (Tony, his mind whispered), hated him and wanted nothing to do with the Sorcerer who had sacrificed himself and left him alone on a dying planet. Besides, he reminded himself with a painful cringing in his heart, the man was getting married. It couldn't be him.   
  
When another knock sounded at the door he was in a foul mood. The whole thing was beginning to grate on his nerves. This game of cat and mouse and secrets and silly gifts. Whoever was behind it was just being cruel and he was determined to put an end to it.    
  
He wrenched the door open, startling the courier who stood on the other side, holding another brown wrapped package, smaller than the two that had come before.   
  
"What do you want?" Stephen demanded, glaring at the man who had taken a nervous step back at his sudden appearance. "I'm very busy and getting tired of these games."   
  
"D-delivery sir?" The man stammered.    
  
"Who's behind this? Who's sending these things to me?" Stephen demanded.   
  
"I... I don't know sir. I'm just doing my job."   
  
Stephen scowled at him, signed a giant x on the delivery device and snatched the package from the terrified man before stepping back and slamming the door shut in his face. The cloak took offense at this and flew from his shoulders to float in the corner across from him, folding it's ends over itself as though scolding him for his rude behaviour.   
  
"What?" Stephen demanded when it began shifting itself in a parody of a scold. "I have every right to be upset. This is a joke and I don't find it funny at all."   
  
The cloak shook again and seemed to be glaring at him in equal parts disappointment and frustration, pointing at him and the package he still held. "You can't seriously expect me to believe this is anything but a cruel prank."   
  
The cloak huffed and pointed at the package again before turning it's back on him, clearly unimpressed with his words.   
  
"Fine! I'll open it. But that doesn't mean any of this is meant for me."   
  
Stephen ripped away the brown packaging, revealing the same hearts and ribbons paper that had been on the unicorn. He frowned at that, dispelling the idea any of this was unrelated. Clearly, the same person was behind all of it which only made his frustration deepen.    
  
He tore the wrapping away to reveal an indigo, royal blue blanket that shimmered in the light, reminding him of galaxies and ocean waves in the dark, lit only by the moon. The material was softer than anything he'd ever felt before, a mix of feathers and silk but heavy enough that it would be warm.    
  
He shook it out and another red and gold envelope fell out, sliding across the floor to bump into his foot. He bent to retrieve it, his breath held as he pulled out the card. Inside was another message only this time it came with a question.   
  
_ "Meet me at 7pm in Central Park by the small fountain. Will you be my Valentine Stephen?" _   
  
Stephen blinked. Well shit, that put an end to that line of thought. Whoever it was, they clearly knew him which meant all of it was real. The cloak had drifted closer while he read, peering over his shoulder as though reading it for itself. When Stephen turned to glare at it, the cloak merely shook itself in a gesture that said told you so, then shook some more as though it were laughing at him.   
  
"You honestly think this is the real deal?"   
  
The cloak shrugged and shook in a parody of exasperation. If it had eyes, Stephen would have sworn it rolled them at him. Without pausing, the cloak bumped his shoulder pushing him to the door.   
  
"You're joking. You want me to go meet some stranger in the park?"   
  
The cloak hunched at him, crossing one side over itself and hovered there, trying to look both intimidating and annoyed.    
  
"Fine." Stephen said, sliding the soft fabric of the blanket through his hands, revelling in the feel of it against his skin. "But if no one shows up, I'm blaming you."   
  
***   
  
Stephen arrived at the meeting place at exactly 7 pm, his palms damp with nervousness and excitement. He looked around, his heart sinking like a rock in his gut to find the area empty. There was no one here, no one waiting for him and a sour taste filled his mouth for hoping someone would be here.    
  
A sense of sadness welled up within him and rather than leave, he settled himself on the edge of the fountain to stare at his hands. Hands which rarely saw the light, too scarred and with too many bad memories tied to them that he couldn't bear to look at them.   
  
"I know, I know FRIDAY! It's not my fault! I..."   
  
Stephen froze where he sat, the unexpected sound of Tony's voice making his insides squirm and his cheeks to flush. He heard Tony before he saw him and shot to his feet before the other man could catch him looking as pathetic as he felt.    
  
"Stephen?" Tony said and he turned to see the genius standing a few feet away holding a bouquet of flowers and looking nervous.   
  
"Stark." Stephen replied past the lump in his throat. This had to be a joke, a cruel one too. The man was engaged to be married, he didn't even like Stephen. Avoided him after Thanos, rarely spoke to him. Always appearing uncomfortable in Stephen's presence as though he couldn't stand to be anywhere near the man who had left him alone on Titan with the burden of the galaxy on his shoulders.   
  
Tony came closer, and damn the man but Stephen knew he wasn't hiding his reaction as well as he'd hoped. "I... didn't think you'd come." He said quietly, fidgeting in place where he stood.   
  
"I honestly couldn't say why I did." Stephen relied, unable to keep the waver from his voice. "Seems a rather elaborate joke you're playing and I don't particularly appreciate it."   
  
"Joke?" Tony repeated, his eyes filling with confusion and bewilderment. "You think I'm playing a joke?"   
  
Stephen's eyes went wide with horror the second Tony's tone and reaction connected with his higher brain function. Oh shit, Tony was serious... what? Why was Tony serious?"   
  
"It's not a joke Stephen, though I guess you have a point. I'm not very good at being clear." Tony managed to blurt, stepping closer and holding out a bouquet of purple roses. "These are for you, but uh... I guess, no hard feelings? You... can keep everything, I'll just...yeah, okay. I'll just go now." Tony stammered, backing away as soon as the flowers left his hand.   
  
Stephen's hand shot out to hold Tony in place, latching onto the man's wrist even as he tried to wrench free and return the way he'd come. "Wait."   
  
Tony relaxed his posture, turning to meet Stephen's gaze, a look of embarrassed disappointment plain on his face.    
  
"This is real?" Stephen stammered. "The... unicorn, the tea... the blanket?"   
  
"Yeah." Tony replied hesitantly. "I mean, I get if you're not interested. I just... didn't know what else to do."   
  
"I don't understand." Stephen huffed. "Are you telling me this was you trying to... court me? Aren't you engaged? I didn't even think you liked me."   
  
"Are you kidding me right now?" Tony exclaimed. "You sacrificed yourself to save my life. And what do you mean I don't like you? Christ! I've been trying to get close to you for weeks now, but you're always so uncomfortable when I'm around. I thought this might show you I'm serious, but I guess I screwed up again huh? And I'm not engaged anymore, not for a while now. Pepper moved on after the snap, couldn't forgive me for leaving her behind again. Anyway, let's just pretend this never happened okay? Sorry I misread... well, everything."   
  
Stephen's hand shot out again, holding Tony in place as he regarded the other man with wonder.  _ Tony wanted him  _ kept repeating in his mind, over and over as the silence stretched between them.    
  
"You didn't misread anything Tony." Stephen said quietly, tightening the loose grip he had in the other man's arm. "I didn't think you would want me around after what I put you through. Making you shoulder the burden of saving the universe alone."   
  
Tony sighed and stepped closer so he could meet Stephen's eyes. "I admit that I hated you for the first few months. Stuck on that ship with that cyborg woman, Nebula. Gotta say that's not a highlight in my memories. But... but when I saw things falling together after we got back to earth, I didn't hate you anymore. I saw how perfect your plan was and what it cost you to have to die for it to happen. You saved the Universe Stephen, without you I don't think any of us would be alive now. When we reversed what Thanos did, all I wanted was to see you again. I mean, I missed the kid but he's got his aunt and... seeing you again was all that mattered."   
  
"But... why?"   
  
"Because you're beautiful Stephen, smart, funny.... snarky. You can keep up with me and... I just wanted to be closer to you and I.. wanted to know the man who died to save me." Tony paused, looking down to where Stephen's hand still rested on his arm. "So, I... gotta know Stephen and tell me the truth here, do you want this?"   
  
Stephen took in Tony's uncharacteristic fidgeting and how he couldn't make himself meet Stephen's eyes and it was a no brainer for what he did next.   
  
Looping his free hand into the collar of Tony's jacket, he pulled him closer, his heart racing as he caught the startled look in Tony's eyes a second before he pressed their lips together. Tony melted into his embrace without hesitation, his hands moving to hold Stephen's hips in place, a small moan escaping him, the sound shooting straight to Stephen's groin.   
  
Stephen swiped a tongue over Tony's lower lip, Tony moaning in response and parting his mouth to let him in. Stephen pressed harder, deepening the kiss, losing himself in the small pants and moans he drew from the other man as they explored each other with lips and tongue.   
  
They parted to catch their breath, Stephen panting into Tony's shoulder, still reeling from the unexpected turn of events. "Geez Doc." Tony whispered into his neck. "If I'd known you could kiss like that I wouldn't have waited so long."   
  
Stephen smirked and pressed a kiss to Tony's neck, leaning away enough to meet his eyes. He brushed a thumb over Tony's lip, relishing the shudder that ran through the other man, his eyelids fluttering at his touch. "And if I had said something, I could have saved us both some grief."   
  
Tony smiled up at him. "Maybe." Tony replied, leaning into Stephen's hand on his cheek. "Are you really okay with this? I mean, this is great and all but... I don't want you to feel pressured or anything."   
  
"Tony Stark, you have the most beautiful, selfless soul I have ever had the pleasure to meet. I've wanted you since Titan and... I think I fell in love with you then too."   
  
Tony blinked up at him, his eyes wide. "What?! You... you love me? But then why have you been avoiding me?"   
  
Stephen closed his eyes, feeling more foolish than the day he'd believed that enough money could repair his hands and give him his life back. "I thought you would resent me for the choice I made, for the burden I placed on you. I made you responsible for saving half the galaxy Tony, I never expected you'd ever forgive me for that."   
  
Tony nodded and pressed a feather light kiss to Stephen's lips. "There's nothing to forgive Stephen. You died for me, for half the galaxy so we could have the future we're in now. You're a hero Stephen. More than that, you're my hero."   
  
Stephen blinked the moisture from his eyes and smiled back at the man in his arms. "And you're mine Tony."   
  
"Guess that means you agree to being my Valentine then." Tony smiled.   
  
"I'll be more than that if you want Tony."   
  
"Oh you're smooth Doc, and yeah, I definitely want more." Tony growled, capturing this mouth again in a heated kiss. "For as long as possible, if not forever."   
  
"I am very okay with that." Stephen sighed against his lips.   
  
***   
  
Curled around each other, their fingers intertwined as they lay in Stephen's bed back at the Sanctum, Tony rested his head on Stephen's chest feeling more peaceful than he'd ever felt at any time in his entire life. "I think you should pinch me." He murmured, his breath ghosting over Stephen's skin, making the other man run his fingers through Tony's hair.   
  
"Why would I do that?"   
  
"So I know this is real." Tony sighed. "I feel like I've finally come home and... I don't want to wake up tomorrow and find out it was all a dream."   
  
"I'm not going to pinch you." Stephen murmured, drawing Tony up so he could look into his eyes. "So you'll just have to stay the night so you can see I'm not a dream when you wake up tomorrow."   
  
Tony blinked at him, his mouth working as though he wanted to speak but couldn't find the words. "You want me to stay?"   
  
"Yes Tony, I want you to stay. Will you?"   
  
"You bet your ass I'll stay." Tony growled, pressing a kiss to his lips. "There's nowhere else I want to be."   
  
"Good." Stephen nodded. "So, I have to ask. Why a unicorn?"   
  
Tony groaned and buried his face in Stephen's chest. "I thought it would be cute. You know? Magic? Rainbows? Mythical creatures? I thought you'd like it better than a pink teddy bear."   
  
Stephen chuckled and pressed a kiss to Tony's forehead. "You're adorable."   
  
"I am? You don't hate it?"   
  
"Of course I don't hate it. But you should know real unicorns weren't so cute when they existed."   
  
"Of course they weren't. It's just... I got Pepper a giant rabbit once. She hated that thing so much... I mean, I suppose it was pretty big so I guess so can see why."   
  
"How big?"   
  
"Um... I think it was fifteen feet tall? But it got destroyed when Killian attacked the Malibu house so... I guess it all worked out."   
  
"A fifteen foot tall rabbit?" Stephen laughed. "I would have liked to have seen that. It's a shame it wasn't well received, but it made my unicorn possible so I can't feel too bad about it."   
  
"You're really okay with it?"   
  
"Anything you give me is a treasure Tony, but I'll always treasure time with you over anything else you could give me. I love the teas, it was very touching and the blanket... I've never felt anything so soft before."   
  
"It reminded me of you. Of your eyes and how sometimes I think I see whole galaxies in them and soft because... well, your hands..."   
  
"And the purple roses?"   
  
Tony pressed a kiss to Stephen's lips and shrugged. "I read somewhere that purple is a mystical colour and well, red is so... overdone so..."   
  
"God I love you." Stephen sighed, hugging Tony to his chest.   
  
"I love you too Stephen." Tony murmured against his lips.    
  
"I feel bad I didn't get you a Valentine gift." Stephen whispered huskily. "So why don't you lay back and let me give you a different kind of gift?"   
  
"I'm not saying no." Tony protested as Stephen rolled them over so Tony was beneath him. "But you don't have to, I already got to have you."   
  
"I want to." Stephen whispered, pressing feather light kisses to Tony's jaw, down his neckline and across his collarbone.   
  
"Mmm." Tony sighed, his eyes fluttering closed. "Then who am I to stop you?"

"My hero." Stephen replied. "And my Valentine."  


  
**_*fin_ **   
  



End file.
